Mechanism for rotating twist spindles

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A MACHINE FOR TWISTING YARN AND A BELT DRIVE MECHANISM IN THE MACHINES FOR DRIVING A PLURALITY OF FALSE TWIST SPINDLE UNITS INDIVIDUALLY ROTATABLE ABOUT THEIR OWN AXES TO TWIST LENGTHS OF YARN CHARACTERISED IN THAT THE SPINDLE UNITS ARE DRIVEN FROM THE FACES OF ONE OR OTHER OF PARALLEL RUNS OF AT LEAST TWO DRIVING BELTS DRIVEN BY A COMMON DRIVING MEMBER.

Dec. 14, 1971 sc lv N 3,626,683

MECHANISM FOR ROTATING TWIST SPINDLES Filed Aug. 12, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ERK; THOMAS SCENE ATTORNEYS 1366- 1971 E. T. SCRIVEN MECHANISM FOR ROTATING TWIST SPINDLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12, 1969 INVENTOR EIUQTHOHAS scruvm BY M m ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofioe 3,626,683 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 US. Cl. 57-104 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a machine for twisting yarn and a belt drive mechanism in the machines for driving a plurality of false twist spindle units individually rotatable about their own axes to twist lengths of yarn characterised in that the spindle units are driven from the faces of one or other of parallel runs of at least two driving belts driven by a common driving member.

This invention relates to transmission means for rotating a plurality of false-twist spindles in a yarn processing machine wherein the yarns are continuously given a twisting movement while they are simultaneously being drawn through the spindles in apparatus for processing yarns, for example in false twist-yarn-crimping machines.

The present requirement for high spindle speeds and an increased number of spindles per machine demands an increased horsepower and combined speed, which the usual transmission means, comprising a single driving belt, for rotating these spindles may be incapable of handling.

Usually the driving belts or driving bands of the transmission means for rotating these spindles are of the order of 80 feet in length, continuous or flexibly jointed, smooth in surface and of thin section and are usually driven directly from a pulley mounted on an electric motor.

The driving belt or band usually extends around the entire yarn twist machine and is capable of turning about 2300 twist spindles simultaneously at high speeds, the belt or band taking the total torque or horsepower directly from the motor pulley.

To enable twist spindles of small diameter to rotate smoothly without bounce at high speeds it has hitherto been essential to employ flexible driving bands or belts of thin section, but this imposes a limit on the strength of the driving bands, their speed and the horsepower they are able to transmit.

The number of spindles which can be applied to the belt per unit length is limited relative to the width of the false twist spindle unit or assembly and in relation to the length of the belt employed and the power it is capable of transmitting. These limitations are overcome in the present invention by the use of at least two spindle-driving belts, driven by a common driving member; further, the spindles may be rotated by the intermediary of rollers which are in turn driven by the spindle-driving belts.

According to the present invention there is provided a yarn processing machine having a mechanism for driving a plurality of false twist spindle units characterised in that said units are driven from one or other of the faces of one or other of the parallel runs of at least one driving belt driven from a common driving member.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a conventional false twist spindle unit driving mechanism;

FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a false twist spindle unit driving mechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows another false twist spindle unit driving mechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3'; and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate various different false twist spindle driving arrangements.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a known false twist spindle unit driving mechanism comprising, on an electric motor shaft, a pulley 1 which drives an endless belt 2 which is guided and supported on idle pulleys 3, 4. The belt 2 drivingly engages on a series of false twist spindle units 5. The motor rating is of the order to 15-20 HP. and the total load of the spindle units is sustained by the single belt.

In contrast, a driving mechanism according to one embodiment of the invention which is shown in FIG. 2 is characterised by the provision of two driving belts 16, 20 guided and supported by idle pulleys 30, 40, 11, 12, 13 and 14 and driven by pulleys 15 and 6. The latter pulleys are fixed to the same shafts as pulleys 8 and 9 respectively which are driven by an electric motor drive by means of a belt 7 which also passes around an idler pulley 19. The false twist spindle units 17, 18 are driven by contact with one face or the other of one or other run of each belt and it will be appreciated that the total load is sustained by the two belts 16, 20 and two belt driving pulleys 8, 9.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a more elaborate embodiment of the invention wherein, as with FIG. 2, two belts 21, 22, together drive all the false twist spindle units 27, 28. The belts 21, 22 are guided by pulleys 70 and respectively and driven from pulleys 60 and 50 respectively.

Multi-grooved pulleys 35, 45 are fixed to the same shafts as the pulleys 50, 60 respectively and are driven through V belts 25 from a drive pulley 26 on the driving shaft of an electric motor 23.

In the mechanisms shown in FIG. 2 and in FIGS. 3 and 4, substantial portions of the opposite runs of each belt are parallel and close together and the drive to the false twist spindles can be imparted through rollers from these opposite runs.

FIG. 5 shows a false twist spindle 51 engaged by two rollers 31, 61 driven from belt runs 32, 62 respectively.

FIG. 6 shows how two false twist spindles 52, 68 can be driven by two rollers 53, 63 respectively with an intermediate roller 64 between them.

Finally, FIG. 7 shows how a single false twist spindle 54 can be driven by two rollers 34, 44 which are in contact with two opposed belt runs and which have an intermediate restraining roller 66 between them.

I claim:

1. In a yarn processing machine of the type wherein a plurality of false-twist spindle units are rotated individually about their own axes to impart a twisting action to the yarn to be processed, and wherein a mechanism to rotate the spindle units includes a belt drive having parallel belt runs driving the false-twist spindles, the improvement comprising at least two spindle-driving belts, an individual pulley driving each of said spindle-driving belts, and a common motor drive driving the individual pulleys simultaneously by means of a common belt-drive.

2. A yarn processing machine as in claim 1 which further includes at least one idle pulley associated with each of said spindle-driving belts and assisting said mechanism in power transmission from said common motor drive.

3. A yarn processing machine as in claim 1, in which the false-twist spindle units comprise spindles mounted for rotation in pairs, the spindles of each pair being mounted to be driven one each in two gaps formed in a train of three rollers spaced and disposed with their axes parallel, the end rollers of said train of rollers being driven in the same direction by opposite runs of one of said spindle-driving belts.

3 4 4. A yarn processing machine as in claim 1 in which 3,059,408 10/1962 Hippe et a1. 5777.45 the false-twist spindle units comprise spindles singly 3,115,743 12/1963 Brodtmann 57-77.45 mounted for rotation in between and to be driven by sets 3,385,047 5/1968 SchWabe t 57-77.45 of two rollers which are spaced with their axes parallel 3,392,518 7/1968 Forward 57-77.45 and are rotated in the same direction by opposite runs of 5 FOREIGN PATENTS one of said spindle-driving belts.

5. A yarn processing machine as in claim 4 which 68, 25 6/1961 France 5777.45

further includes a third roller with every set of said two 893,568 4/1962 Great Britain 5777. 5 rollers disposed in parallel relation therewith and guiding- 998,091 7/ 1965 Gffiat i i 5777- 5 ly engaging the spindle which is driven by said two rollers. 10 1,023,445 4/1966 Great Britalfl 183,327 8/1966 Russia 57-77.45

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,662,649 3/1928 Werber 57-104 15 US. Cl. X.R. 3,045,416 7/1962 Ubbelohde 5777.45 57--77.45

DONALD E. WATKINS, Primary Examiner 

